CLOSED: A New FCC.gov - Feedback

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We will be rolling out updates to the new FCC.gov on a regular basis. Share your thoughts and ideas on what to add to the next release, or ways we can improve the user experience or functionality on FCC.gov.

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The FCC rules are not posted on the FCC website or are not findable. I would like to see a link to the FCC rules placed on the main page frame of the FCC website. I would also like the rules to be searchable and to reflect the most current updates.

During this transition, the login area is really fragmented. Let's take the time to fix it, and make FRS very easy to use. Login from the front page, and quick links based on the person's account so far. Perhaps a categorized area with actions a person may take with their account? Really make it easy to use the system.

We hope to roll out exactly that in the near future. If you take a look at the my dot preview (http://my.fcc.gov/), once launched, it will provide you with the ability to sign on, see links to common tasks that you select, and even follow specific agency actions such as dockets or proceedings, all from the home page.

A single, site-wide login across all the agency’s systems and portals is a little tricky, both legally and technically, but we’re trying our best to head in that direction.

The website must incorporate ability to view current issues and comments across different platforms. Most americans today are on the go, and for them to be able to keep track of events and post comments from mobile devices is necessary.

The FCC's web site should be designed to further the agency's regulatory mission and allow individuals and organizations to transact business more efficiently with the agency than they could in a paper or face-to-face world. Rather than focus on pretty graphics designed to maximize PR and image and present the Commission as hip and cutting-edge, the Commission should focus on improving the functionality of its electronic databases and database interfaces, the accessibility of information, and the amount of information. That's what loyal users really want, and the agency seems to have forgotten that. I can't help but think that the new site is like New Coke -- a flashy, ill-conceived idea that is quickly alienating the customer/user base. To fix these significant shortcomings, I suggest a few things. First, the Commission needs to revamp its outdated databases, such as EDOCS and COALS. There's a lot of information that is not easily accessible or omitted altogether from these databases. It need not be. Second, the Commission needs to identify tasks that it is still handling manually (St. Louis filing facility, anyone?). There is no excuse for the Wireline Competition Bureau not having an electronic filing and payment option for domestic 214 transfers and assignments. Third, the Commission needs to reduce the number of clicks to reach specific content, as in many cases, it takes 10 clicks to get to through the sub-sub-sub-sub menus to find content. Finally, the Commission needs to require that different bureaus and offices (a) keep their content up-to-date (the same goes for the FCC's rules, which are often out of date on the Commission's web site), (b) improve transparency by disclosing organizational structure and staff names associated with particular tasks, and (c) adding content about regulatory policies and practices. Thanks for considering these thoughts.

The FCC's web site should be designed to further the agency's regulatory mission and allow individuals and organizations to transact business more efficiently with the agency than they could in a paper or face-to-face world. Rather than focus on pretty graphics designed to maximize PR and image and present the Commission as hip and cutting-edge, the Commission should focus on improving the functionality of its electronic databases and database interfaces, the accessibility of information, and the amount of information. That's what loyal users really want, and the agency seems to have forgotten that. I can't help but think that the…

The Wireline Competition Industry Analysis Division has extremely useful data, but one would never know it with the new site. There is no way to get there unless you already know it exists. Nor is there a way to search for any of its reports effectively.

I'm looking for a two year old Commission report, but the old link to the document doesn't work and the new site's "search" function yields zero helpful results. As of a couple of days ago, I was able to find it by choosing to use the previous fcc.gov and searching from there. However, now even that seems to be turned off.

I think you need to rethink making these radical changes that are so disruptive to the user, and focus on modifications that truly improve things, rather than changes that actually make things more onerous. For example, it used to be that when we clicked on a link to an item such as a press release or a commissioner statement, we were taken to the item. Now when we click on links to items, we're treated to a bunch of FCC boilerplate and forced to then hit the "expand" button. Why? May not seem like a big deal, but multiply this times tens and hundreds and maybe even thousands of times on an individual basis over a long period, or by millions and millions for all your users in aggregate over some period of time (billions and billions may be overstating things for now), and you have a colossal waste of time, and annoying at that. Also, your news Headlines are now much less user-friendly. You only have a few on your opening page, much less than before, and even when we hit link to expand, we don't get that many, whereas before when we expanded, we got the whole year's worth of headlines. And then if we want to look for more, you just have further bite-size amounts and with no sense of time frame. Yes, we can go through the trouble of specifying time range, but it was SO much easier the way it was before, where we (1) had more headlines on opening page, (2) had one-click access to all that year's headlines, and (3) had another one-click link to any particular year of headlines. Rather than this increasingly granular segmented search requirement that simply is more onerous and less efficient.

I think you need to rethink making these radical changes that are so disruptive to the user, and focus on modifications that truly improve things, rather than changes that actually make things more onerous. For example, it used to be that when we clicked on a link to an item such as a press release or a commissioner statement, we were taken to the item. Now when we click on links to items, we're treated to a bunch of FCC boilerplate and forced to then hit the "expand" button. Why? May not seem like a big deal, but multiply this…

The site is apparently using new code. It is nearly impossible to use. I am a Radio broadcast engineer an I rely on the site. I am also legally blind. In it's new form, I will not be able to get around it. It makes no sense to a person listening to it with a screen reader. It is repeating "type in text" for every letter I am typing right now, due to what? It does not happen on any other site. There are no HTML Headings now on the old page, where did they go? Menus on the new page are not read by the screen reader. It is one more website that fails to consider blind users. The Federal sites, above all other sites should be not only accessible but usable too. this version will affect my ability to work in broadcast. Web development is being pushed with new tricks, instead of standard HTML code. W3C has worked hard to develop accessible standards and it is rare that any of these guidelines are used. Now to find a Federal site that does not make any sense and is impossible to use is un-acceptable. I know clean well formed HTML is a pleasure to use for blind users and this site, like may commercial sites is painful and ultimately too difficult to use. But buying a tie online is not the same as accessing public information. I think the page as it is now should be scrapped entirely. Update the old page with better looks, if you must, but leave it alone, otherwise. And lose the Facebook and Google links. crass commercialism does not belong on public sites.

The site is apparently using new code. It is nearly impossible to use. I am a Radio broadcast engineer an I rely on the site. I am also legally blind. In it's new form, I will not be able to get around it. It makes no sense to a person listening to it with a screen reader. It is repeating "type in text" for every letter I am typing right now, due to what? It does not happen on any other site. There are no HTML Headings now on the old page, where did they go? Menus on the new…

Create a Forums on the site and link articles and ideas to the forums. So not only do we get general comments, but people can also become involved and have a voice in their government and in the FCC. The most important part of the FCC is communication, which this would help accomplish.

This new site design is beautiful; it’s impressive for a government page. I feel like the design isn’t really the issue though. The information on the site is still poorly organized, and seems to assume you understand the government lingo the FCC works under. I think the FCC should consider reworking the site to focus on helping the public understand and navigate the issues the FCC deals with, and not on a flashy “web 2.0” look.
Consider hiring an Information Architect…

Off to a great start. Site needs more automation and live real-time apps.
Cut more red tape with online license applications, approved with a click of the mouse! No more download, pdf, word docx's and mail in forms. All real time, more user friendly where the common joe can understand and personal is the right direction.

I see where this beta site is trying to go, but I think it goes too far. I applaud the attempt, but graphics should be used judiciously to prevent "information overload" by breaking up text with aesthetically pleasing art. In this case, the graphics dominate the front page, leaving very little visual space to convey meaningful content. Because this is a government website upon which people rely to obtain information, we can strike a better balance. The graphics can be smaller and achieve the same effects. The "feature" videos can be placed in a "meet the FCC" space, as Function Over Form has suggested elsewhere. In addition, so much negative space is unnecessary. These changes would leave more space on the front page for the most important textual content. I applaud the attempt to create a more robust back-end search engine, but the search bar should not be relied upon so heavily. There should be more hypertext options on the front page for key content. For example, without using the search bar it took me four clicks from the drop down menu to get to the "file a complaint" page, which offered only a video tutorial on how to file a complaint (and no link to complaint forms). That is too deep for someone using "old school" navigation methods, as many consumers are apt to do. This is not a post by some curmudgeon resistance to change. At the risk of sounding immodest, I am a Gen X attorney who can hand code PHP. I applaud the effort, but I think we can find a better balance.

I see where this beta site is trying to go, but I think it goes too far. I applaud the attempt, but graphics should be used judiciously to prevent "information overload" by breaking up text with aesthetically pleasing art. In this case, the graphics dominate the front page, leaving very little visual space to convey meaningful content. Because this is a government website upon which people rely to obtain information, we can strike a better balance. The graphics can be smaller and achieve the same effects. The "feature" videos can be placed in a "meet the FCC" space, as Function…

The new site looks very pretty, but unfortunately it appears to have been designed by graphic designers and not by anyone who actually uses the FCC's site.

Someone who actually participates in FCC proceedings wants to know what the most recent actions are that have been taken by the Commission and its Bureaus. This person also wants to know about meetings, workshops, and changes to comment deadlines. This person also wants to be able to quickly access the relevant detailed information from each bureau.

All of this important information is buried or truncated to the point of being unusable under the new site design.

Under the original site, the front page contains the complete name of each news release along with prominent links to the full version of the document in Word or PDF format. Under the new version you get a severely truncated version of the title that may not even give you the most important information (e.g., "Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Accounces Division Name..." Name what??). At least when you click on the "More from the newsroom" link you get a list with the complete names, but this information should be on the front page. Furthermore, when you do get to that page, you have to click again on the name to get to a third page that gives an unofficial HTML text version of the document with links to the official versions in PDF/Word/etc. Why are these links to the documents not prominently featured on the front page? It might be less attractive, but at least the important information is available with one click as opposed to three.

Navigating the Bureau pages are even more ridiculous. On the old (or "grown up") version of the FCC homepage, you could access the Bureaus with one click from the menu on the right, then you were taken to a page that prominently listed all the recent actions taken by the Bureau, with direct links to the documents.

Now, there is a drop down at the top that will take you to a "Bureaus and Offices" homepage. From there you can click on the Bureau you want. At the new Bureau homepage, you are greeted by an "Inside the Bureau" list of somebody's opinion of what are the most important current activities. Below that you finally get to something usable, misleadingly named "Related Information." Here we have the headlines, but these also suffer from unfortunate truncation. (e.g., "Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces Deadlines For Comments...") Again, this is completely unhelpful and hides the most important information from the user.

This is only a quick assessment. I'm sure that a more complete review of the websit would reveal many other places where form was so far elevated above function as to produce absurd results. Please keep in mind that people come to the FCC's site to access information about specific, often highly technical, regulatory proceedings. The overwhelming majority of the site's users will be much more interested in getting complete headlines and instant access to Bureau documents than they will be in seeing videos of bureau chiefs talking about their jobs.

The new site looks very pretty, but unfortunately it appears to have been designed by graphic designers and not by anyone who actually uses the FCC's site.

Someone who actually participates in FCC proceedings wants to know what the most recent actions are that have been taken by the Commission and its Bureaus. This person also wants to know about meetings, workshops, and changes to comment deadlines. This person also wants to be able to quickly access the relevant detailed information from each bureau.

All of this important information is buried or truncated to the point of being unusable under…